Cancer
by Lingua Dii
Summary: Kyle finds himself ill, so Kenny must make a deal with an unlikely character to save his boyfriend. Rated T for language.
1. Just Friends

I've decided to reorder my stories, so that the three stories that will share a common timeline will be all together. To clarify and reiterate: this is not the first story I mentioned in "The Proposal"; it's just a random one-time story.  
The third chapter of this story has already been written, so the second and third chapters will be posted at the same time.

* * *

A hurricane was hitting the small town of South Park. Rain was falling in sheets, and the sun had been completely blocked out. Kenny and Kyle found themselves alone on their way home without umbrellas.

"Come on! Hurry up!" shouted Kenny.  
"I'm trying! I'm not as athletic as you!"

They finally arrived at Kyle's completely soaked. Even Kenny's parka was no match for the wind and rain that had the residents of South Park cowering in their homes. Kyle invited Kenny inside; an offer the blond boy accepted immediately.

"Thanks." said Kenny as Kyle held the door for him.

Once Kenny made his way inside, Kyle quickly closed and locked the door behind him. The boys then headed upstairs – completely ignoring Kyle's parents and brother – into Kyle's bedroom, dripping cold rainwater with every step they took. Kyle quickly changed from his ice-cold soaked clothes to his warm pajamas, but Kenny had no such luck. All he could do was take off his wet clothes and remain in his underwear, much to Kyle's amusement.

"I'd lend you some clothes, but I don't think they'd fit." said Kyle as he laughed.

"_Besides, this is much better._"

"It's n-not **my** fault you're s-so short!"  
"Why are you stuttering?"  
"Because I'm f-freezing! C-Can I use your phone t-to call my brother to come p-pick me up?"  
"Of course, Ken. Here."

Kenny shakingly dialed his brother's phone number on Kyle's cellphone and asked him to pick him up with dry clothes and an umbrella. Afterward, he turned to Kyle, still shivering from the cold, and asked him if he could borrow his bed for a while to warm up.

"Sure, Kenny." Kyle replied. "I'll make you some warm tea too."  
"T-Thanks."

Kenny quickly made his way into Kyle's bed as the latter rushed downstairs to make him some tea. The bed was still freezing, but it warmed up rapidly once Kenny got under the sheets.

* * *

After a few minutes, Kyle returned with a warm cup of tea. He found Kenny on his cellphone, talking to his brother.

"I see... Alright, Kevin. I'll try to hang on until tomorrow."

Kenny hung up the phone and faced Kyle, who was standing at the bedroom door with a cup of tea in his hands.

"What did Kevin say?"  
"Storm's too bad to risk driving over here. I'm going to have to spend the night here... if that's OK with you."

"_Fuck yeah!_" thought Kyle with great excitement.

"Sure." said Kyle inconspicuously.

Kyle handed the steaming cup to Kenny, who drank it slowly, so as not to burn his lips or the inside of his mouth. Kyle watched him drink the tepid tea with great care for a while, but his attention soon turned to the outside conditions. The weather had worsened severely – the windows and doors of his house were vibrating, almost being ripped off of their hinges – and now it was snowing. Kyle was so focused on the weather that he didn't notice Kenny calling his name.

"Kyle? Kyle!"  
"Hm? Sorry, what were you saying?"  
"I was just thanking you for the tea... It's good."  
"You're welcome, Ken." replied Kyle as he smiled.

"_I'm glad you like it._"

* * *

Later that night, the weather was still as beastly as ever, and the boys were facing each other whilst lying in bed. Kyle had lent Kenny his spare pajamas, in spite of their relatively small size, which the taller boy accepted, for lack of a better option.

"...This is cozy." said Kyle.  
"Yeah. Are you sure your parents are OK with me sleeping here?"  
"It's not like they had any choice. They couldn't just send you outside with that storm."  
"Thanks, Kyle."  
"You're welcome, Ken... You know, you look kinda funny with my pajamas on."  
"No kidding. They're small as hell. I don't know how you fit into these things."  
"Well, I'm kinda small too."

"_That's one of the things I love about you, Kyle. You're just so fucking adorable._"

Kenny closed his eyes and fell asleep shortly afterward, followed by Kyle.

* * *

The following day, Kenny woke up to find Kyle standing over him with a breakfast tray full of food.

"Is that for me?"  
"It's for us."

Kenny picked up a sandwich from the tray and took a small bite. Once he had acquired the taste for it, he chowed it down like he hadn't eaten in weeks. Kyle was surprised by his reaction, since he was used to eating food prepared by his mother.

"Is it that good?"  
"Yeah. I don't usually eat breakfast. Too lazy to make it for myself."  
"Doesn't your mom make it for you? Or your dad?"  
"...She and my dad are usually high on something. They just don't care."  
"I'm sorry... Here, have another sandwich."

Kyle handed Kenny a second sandwich, which the blond boy wolfed down without hesitation. Kyle then sat down next to him on the bed and ate a couple of sandwiches himself, albeit more slowly than Kenny.

* * *

When the boys finished their breakfast, Kenny left for his home, to get ready for school.

"I'll see you later, alright?"  
"Yeah, Ken. See ya."

The boys stood next to each other for a while, with only one thing on their minds.

"_C'mon, kiss him! He's just waiting for it!_"

"...See ya."

"_Dammit!_"

* * *

Kenny found the roof of his home completely ripped off and scattered on the ground, much to his surprise. He entered the small home and saw various puddles on the floor, from the aggressive rain of the previous day. He found his brother, Kevin, along with their mother trying to clean up the mess caused by the hurricane.

"Hey, guys... I guess that hurricane really screwed up our house."  
"No kidding." said Kevin. "We're gonna have to dip into our savings to fix this roof."  
"Well, I'd love to help, but I have school today."

"_Thank god for that too, because I really hate cleaning up._"

"Well, I'll see you guys later!"  
"Later, bro."  
"Goodbye, Kenny."

* * *

Later that day, all four boys – Kenny, Kyle, Stan and Cartman – were at the school together. Kenny and Kyle were looking at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking and smiled. Stan noticed the boys' strange attitude, but since he knew Cartman hadn't, he decided to keep his mouth shut until the right moment presented itself.

"So... How were your weekends?"  
"Good, I guess." said Kenny as he looked at Kyle.  
"It was OK." replied Kyle as he avoided staring back at Kenny.  
"What about you, Stan?"  
"You know, just playing games on my computer. You?"  
"None of your business."

"_That's code for eating until you almost had a heart attack. No wonder you're so fat._" thought Stan as he smiled.

"Anything you wanna say, Stan?"  
"No, no... Nothing at all..."

"_Fatty._"

* * *

After school, the boys split up in order to head back home. Kenny went with Cartman, while Kyle went with Stan. Once Stan and Kyle reached the latter's house, Stan decided it was the right time to ask about what was going on between him and Kenny.

"So what's up with you and Kenny?"  
"What?"  
"I saw you guys today. You look at him when he's not looking at you, he looks back when you're looking away... And it's not just today; you've always seemed a little too interested in Kenny. I'm not Cartman; I know something's going on."  
"Well... Do you promise to keep it a secret?"  
"Sure, Kyle. We're friends, after all."  
"I... kind of have a thing for him."  
"'A thing'?"  
"Yeah, Stan. A thing."  
"And does he have 'a thing' for you?"  
"I think so..."  
"So what's the matter? You guys should be dating then!"  
"Shh! Keep your voice down. I don't want my brother to hear you. Anyway, it's tough to explain."  
"Try me."  
"...We've done a few things, but we've never kissed."  
"So?"  
"A kiss is the universal starter of a relationship. Without it, we're just... very good friends."  
"...That is probably the single dumbest thing I've ever heard coming out of your mouth."  
"Thanks, Stan. I knew I could count on you to be supportive."  
"Look, I'm sorry, but it's true! Why should it matter if you've never kissed?"  
"...You just don't get it."  
"Then help me."  
"Like I said, a kiss is the universal starter of a relationship."  
"Yeah, I got that."  
"That's all there is to it. No kiss means no relationship, as far as I'm concerned."  
"Alright, Kyle. Whatever floats your boat."

"_You still don't get it, but I'm done trying to explain it to you._"

Kyle and Stan shook hands, and Kyle headed inside his home and up into his bedroom. Unbeknownst to him, however, his brother had heard the entire conversation with Stan. Ike smiled to himself, glad that Kyle had finally confessed his feelings for Kenny.

"_It's not like everyone didn't already know. Well, everyone except Cartman. But he's an idiot, so he doesn't really count._"

* * *

Meanwhile, in Kenny's house, the blond boy reluctantly picked up a mop to help clean up the floor of his home.

"_Fucking weather... Why couldn't we have moved somewhere nicer? Maybe somewhere without hurricanes... But then I wouldn't have met Kyle, so I guess that's OK... Kyle..._"

Kenny stopped working and started daydreaming about Kyle. Memories flooded his brain, from the first time he slept over at Kyle's to the first time they almost kissed. They made him smile, but completely distracted him from the work he was supposed to be doing, until Kevin stepped in and did something about it.

"Kenny! Wake up, little bro."  
"Don't call me 'little bro', Kevin. I'm almost twenty now."  
"Sorry... You'll always be my little bro to me, Kenny."  
"...Thanks, Kevin."

"_I know you don't mean anything bad by it._"

* * *

Kenny and Kevin had the house clean shortly after the sun went down, and decided to go to sleep sooner. Kenny wasn't used to sleeping more than six hours per day, but now he decided it was time for a rest.  
The boys headed for the bedroom they shared and lied down on their respective beds. However, they couldn't sleep. Kevin was trying to figure out just how much money his family was going to have to spend to get their roof fixed, whereas Kenny was thinking about Kyle.

"_Kyle... I love you so much._"

"Hey, you still awake, bro?"  
"...Yeah."  
"Can't sleep?"  
"Nope."  
"Me either... What's on your mind?"  
"N-Nothing."  
"C'mon, Kenny, you can't lie to me. Why else would you be awake?"  
"What's on **your** mind that's keeping you awake?"  
"Nice try, bro."  
"...You promise not to make fun of me?"  
"That's what family's for."  
"I... kinda have a crush on someone."  
"Really? Since when do **you** have crushes?"

"_He's special._"

"Since a few months ago."  
"Have you... done anything about it?"  
"No... I mean, we did some stuff, but..."  
"You haven't said anything about it, have you?"  
"No... It's kinda weird, to be honest. We've done pretty much everything, but when it comes to talking..."  
"So? Some things don't need to be said. You just need to do something about it."  
"I... didn't think of it that way. Thanks, Kevin."  
"You're welcome. Now go to sleep. I know you haven't slept 8 hours in several weeks."  
"I'm OK."

"_Right..._"

* * *

Kevin fell asleep a few minutes after his short conversation with Kenny, rightly convinced that it had had an effect on his sibling. Kenny, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. He replayed all the chanced he had had with Kyle that he could have used to kiss him or say something. He was regretting that he had wasted all those opportunities to confess his feelings to Kyle. Every time the perfect moment presented itself, Kenny would run away from it as if he was on fire. Kyle was no better; the opportunities revealed themselves and he shied away from them. The fact that he had admitted, not only to himself, but to Stan as well, that he had a crush on Kenny was nothing short of a miracle, given his usual reaction to personal things. Kenny, on the other hand, was simply surprised that he had actually developed a crush on someone. He was used to dating people a couple of weeks, then switching them for someone else, but he actually wanted a relationship with Kyle. He wanted something he had never had in his life – love.

"_Kyle..._"


	2. Sick

It has been brought to my attention that it's physically impossible for a hurricane to hit Colorado, given the usual intensity of hurricanes on the planet. This creates a plot hole in the first chapter; one I hope you'll ignore for the sake of the story.

* * *

The following morning, after getting ready for school, Kyle waited for Stan to pass by his house, as he usually did. However, Stan was running late, so Kyle was getting ready to leave. Just as he turned around, he heard a familiar voice.

"Kyle!"

Kyle turned to where the voice was coming from and, much to his relief, saw Stan running toward him.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late. I overslept." Stan said, panting.  
"You should get an alarm clock."  
"Yeah... Really sorry."  
"It's OK. We can still make it if we run."  
"Then what are we waiting for? C'mon, let's go!"

Stan dashed off in the direction of the boys' school, followed by Kyle.

* * *

Once the boys reached the school, they found Kenny and Cartman about to head into class.

"Guys! Wait for us!"

"_Kyle!_"

Kenny stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to greet Kyle. His first instinct was to give the red-haired boy a hug, but his schoolmates' presence quickly changed his mind. However, another thought popped into his mind, but it would have to wait until later.

"Hey. Sorry for the delay."  
"Me and Kenny were about to leave your gay asses behind! Right, Kenny?"  
"Shut up, fatass." replied Kenny.  
"You shut up, blondie!"  
"Guys, let's just go inside. I'm sure our teacher has been sitting alone in the classroom for ten minutes, like she always does."

* * *

Later that day, when it was time for the boys to head back home, Kenny decided to go with Kyle and Stan, rather than Cartman, as he usually did.

"C'mon, blondie. You're not gonna make me walk home on my own, are you?"  
"Look, I just... I have something I want to say to Kyle."  
"...Why don't you say it here?"  
"None of your business."  
"Whatever, Kenny. See ya!"

"_I wonder what Kenny wants to talk about..._" Kyle thought.

* * *

When the three boys reached Kyle's house, Stan said goodbye to his friends and continued along his path. He knew Kenny wouldn't say anything with him around, so he left his friends alone to talk.

"So... What did you want to talk about?"

Kenny's heart began to pound in his chest as he tried to come up with the proper words to say what he wanted to. Sweat was pouring down from his forehead; all of which Kyle noticed, but ignored completely.

"I... Kevin said something to me, that I... I agree with."  
"OK... So?"  
"W-Well... W-Would you..."

Kenny coughed loudly to clear his throat, worked up the courage to do what he was about to do and finally said what he wanted to.

"Would you like to go out with me?"

Kyle's heart mirrored Kenny's and began to beat erratically. Kyle's first instinct was to say yes, but he needed confirmation, so he could know if his excitement was justified.

"Y-You mean like... o-on a date?"  
"Y-Yeah."

"_Yes!_" Kyle thought excitedly.

Kyle wanted to express his contentment, but he was afraid Kenny would withdraw the request if he did, so he decided to contain his excitement as best he could.

"S-Sure."  
"Great! I-I mean... I'll pick you up later tonight, alright?"  
"Yeah."

"_Awesome!_"

"I'll see you later, Kyle."  
"See ya."

Kenny ran straight back home, to prepare for his date with Kyle. Kyle also headed into his bedroom, where he daydreamed about what his date would be like.

* * *

After leaving his backpack at home, Kenny checked the local movie theater for any interesting movies. He found a couple of movies, all playing at roughly the same time.

"_Perfect. I can give Kyle plenty of options. Now, I just need a few gifts..._"

Kenny headed for a small store at the edge of town, where he bought a heart-shaped box filled with chocolates and a small bouquet.

"_It's better to go with classic stuff..._"

* * *

Kenny's last stop was at the fanciest restaurant in town, to see how much it cost, and if he could afford it. However, he soon realized that the only place he could afford was a burger joint.

"_Damn... I wish I was richer. I hope Kyle doesn't mind._"

* * *

Meanwhile, as Kenny headed back home to shower and change, Kyle tried to convince his mom to let him go on the date he had already accepted.

"Mom, do you think I could... go out with a friend?"

Kyle's mom's first instinct was to deny her son's request, but her husband's words echoed in her head, telling her to let their son live a little. Eventually, she settled on an intermediate position.

"Only if you clean your room and do your homework."  
"Thanks, mom!"

Kyle headed back into his room, where he worked on his homework and cleaned his room. Unlike Kenny and most of the other boys, his room was somewhat pristine, so it only took him about an hour to clean. He was also smarter than most of the other boys, so he also finished his homework fairly quickly.

* * *

Later that night, Kyle was sitting at his bedroom window, waiting for Kenny. All he could think about was Kenny and what the date meant.

"_Are things getting serious? I mean, Kenny asked me out... Maybe he wants to take things to the next level?_"

Kyle was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't notice Kenny arriving, until he rang the doorbell.

"I'll get it!"

Kyle rushed downstairs and opened the front door, where Kenny was waiting with a box of chocolates and some flowers.

"H-Hey, Kyle. These a-are for you..."  
"Thanks, Ken. They're lovely."

Kenny laughed nervously before handing his gifts over to Kyle. Kyle smelled the flowers Kenny had brought him and smiled back at him. Kenny became more relaxed after seeing his friend smile and exhaled calmly.

"I'll be right back. I need to put these in water."  
"S-Sure, Kyle."

Kyle returned a couple of minutes later and the boys left for the movie theater.

"So, what do you have planned for us?"  
"Just a classic date: movie and dinner."  
"Sounds nice..."

"_I can't believe this is really happening._" Kyle thought.

"We should hurry." said Kenny. "The movies start in about ten minutes."

* * *

Once they arrived, Kenny showed Kyle the movies they could watch. Kyle picked one of them and bought some popcorn to go along with it.

"C'mon!"  
"Hang on, I'm just getting some popcorn."  
"O-Oh. Sorry."  
"It's OK, Ken."

* * *

After the movie, Kyle began to wonder where Kenny was taking him to dinner.

"So, where are we going now?"  
"Well... To be honest, I can't afford a nice place. We're going to have dinner at the burger joint close to your home."  
"Why don't we just split the bill?"  
"I'm **really** low on cash right now. It's the only place I could afford... Sorry."  
"That's OK, Ken. It's not about the place."

"_It's about who you're with._" Kyle thought.

Kenny noticed what Kyle was thinking about and smiled.

"_I should've done this years ago._" Kenny thought.

* * *

Later that night, the boys finally reached the burger joint where they were going to have dinner at. Kenny opened the door to Kyle, who smiled and giggled softly. Kenny smiled and giggled back at him, much to everyone else's annoyance.

"_Fucking fags..._" thought one of the costumers.

"C'mon, let's grab a seat."  
"Sure."

Kyle chose a seat close to the corner, so the boys could have some privacy.

"So, what do you want?"

"_You._"

"I'll have a couple of burgers."  
"Fries?"  
"Sure."  
"I'll be right back.

Kenny returned a few minutes later with six burgers on a tray, much to Kyle's surprise.

"You're gonna eat **four** burgers?"  
"What? I'm hungry."  
"How are you so..."  
"Slim?"

"_I was gonna say 'fucking hot', but that works too._"

"Yeah."  
"Genetics. At least... that's what they teach us at school."  
"Right..."

* * *

Once they were done with the burgers, Kenny walked Kyle back home. It was almost midnight by the time they arrived, with a particularly starry sky. Kyle looked up every couple of feet to enjoy the night sky, until he finally arrived at his home.

"Well, here we are." said Kenny.

"_I can't believe it's already over..._"

"Yeah."  
"Did you have a good time?"  
"Of course."  
"Great!"

The moment had come yet again. Kyle was fiddling around with his keys, waiting for Kenny to kiss him, but the blond boy's stomach twisted itself into knots just from thinking about it. Kyle noticed his friend's apprehension, and decided to take matters into his own hands. He leaned closer to Kenny, making both of their hearts race, and locked lips with him. Kenny's heart skipped a beat from Kyle's kiss, but he also enjoyed it immensely.  
When Kyle broke the kiss, Kenny, not satisfied with just one, pulled Kyle closer and into a second kiss. However, their kiss was cut short by Ike opening the front door.

"Hey, guys..."  
"H-Hey, bro."  
"Hi, Ike."  
"So **that's** what you were doing tonight?"  
"Please don't tell mom."  
"No, no. Of course not."

"_She's gonna find out on her own anyway..._" Ike thought.

"So, uh... Kenny... I'll see you tomorrow, OK?"  
"Sure, Kyle. See ya."

Kenny turned around and left Kyle's home, happier than he had ever been.

* * *

Kenny was smiling all the way back to his house, whereupon he calmed himself down and lied down on his bed. His mind wandered, trying to foresee the outcome of a relationship with Kyle. At first, he only thought about positive outcomes, but his thoughts soon turned to negative possible ends to their relationship.

"_What if we break up? What if I can't keep up with what Kyle wants?_"

Kenny fell asleep shortly after Kyle, who was also thinking about outcomes to their relationship.

* * *

**TWO WEEKS LATER**

Kenny and Kyle's relationship was made public shortly after they started dating. Everyone thought it was about time they started dating, save for Cartman, who was revolted at the very idea of two guys dating. He bullied Kyle for his dating choice, until Kenny stood up for him and punched him straight in the gut with all his strength. Kyle was glad Kenny cared enough to do it, but he also disapproved his violent reaction, forcing Kenny to take him out on an apology date. Kenny decided to repeat his first date's settings, replacing the burger joint with a picnic under the night sky.

"So, are you having fun?"  
"Of course."  
"Do you like the sandwiches?"  
"They're great. Thanks."  
"This is just to say that I'm sorry for what I did to Cartman."  
"You didn't have to do this..."  
"I know. But I wanted to... I'm sorry."  
"It's OK, Ken. I forgive you."

"_Thanks, Kyle._"

Kenny closed in to Kyle for the first kiss of their date, but Kyle coughed loudly, straight into his face.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry. I just-"

Kyle's sentence was cut short by yet another round of coughing, until blood sprayed from his mouth and onto Kenny.

"Kyle!"

Kyle's expression changed to match his fear of what was happening to him. Kenny picked him up and ran toward the only hospital in town.

* * *

By the time Kenny arrived at the hospital, Kyle had already passed out from lack of oxygen. Kenny yelled for help as soon as he arrived.

"Help! He can't breathe!"

Various nurses rushed toward Kenny and took Kyle off of his arms, much to his surprise. His instinct to help was to try to help Kyle, but he knew he would just get in the way. The nurses stuck a tube down Kyle's throat and attached another one to his arm, before taking him away entirely. Kenny followed them for as long as he could, until one of the nurses shot him down.

"You can't come in here."  
"Why can't I go?"  
"I'm sorry, but we need to run some tests."  
"...Fine. Where's his room?"  
"We haven't assigned one yet... Look, you can stay outside and wait for your friend to come out."  
"Alright."

* * *

Many hours later, after several x-rays and a biopsy, Kenny was finally allowed to stay with Kyle, in his new room. Kyle was conscious once again, but barely able to move. All he could do to answer questions was blink. The doctors told Kenny he didn't have any sign of brain damage, which made Kenny relieved, but the fact that they wouldn't tell him what they thought was wrong gave him a bad feeling about the whole situation.  
Kenny dismissed these feelings, however, when he finally spoke to Kyle. He didn't want his boyfriend to worry unnecessarily, even though Kenny himself was worried beyond belief.

* * *

"Hey, Kyle. Are you alright?"

Kyle blinked twice for no and almost started crying. Kenny realized that his question was pointless and apologized for it.

"Right, stupid question... Sorry."

A doctor arrived just as Kenny was about to start talking to Kyle again, with a grim look on his face.

"Look, Kyle, the doctor's here."  
"You must be Kenny."  
"Yeah. I brought him here... What's wrong with him, doc?"  
"I'm afraid... The news isn't good."  
"What is it?"  
"...It's lung cancer."  
"What?! How's that even possible? Kyle doesn't smoke!"  
"Lung cancer isn't exclusive to smokers."

Kenny turned to Kyle, worried about his new boyfriend. Kyle blinked a few times then closed his eyes and started crying silently. Kenny's eyes teared up as well, but he could hold back his tears. He turned to the doctor and asked him the two most important questions that came to his mind.

"Are you sure?"  
"We checked the biopsy three times. There's no doubt about it."  
"...How long?"  
"With treatment, several months. Without treatment... maybe two months."

Kyle suddenly started coughing again, increasing Kenny's tension. However, the reason behind it was nothing to be worried about.

"It's OK; he's just breathing on his own again. That's why he's choking on the tube. Let me just get rid of it... There. How do you feel, Kyle?"  
"...I'm thirsty."  
"That's normal."  
"Here, Kyle." said Kenny as he handed Kyle a glass of water.  
"Thanks."

Kyle drank the water slowly, apparently very calm in spite of his situation. His tears had stopped flowing, and he wiped the ones that were still on his face before speaking again.

"...Could you leave me and Kenny alone, please?"  
"Sure."

The doctor left Kenny and Kyle alone, as the latter requested. Kenny was surprised by Kyle's acceptance of his situation, until Kyle broke into tears and nervous laughter.

"_I guess he was just acting in front of the doctor._"

"Kenny, I... I'm scared."  
"I know. Me too."  
"...Did you call my mom?"  
"I'm sure the hospital did. Do you want me to call her anyway?"  
"No... I hope they didn't call her. I don't want her freaking out over-"  
"Where's my baby?!"

Kyle's mom's volume was loud, as usual, and it permeated everywhere. To Kyle, hearing his mother's voice was as if someone was shoving nails in his skull.

"_Her voice is so annoying..._"

"Kyle! What happened?!"

"_Mom, lower the fucking volume._"

"H-He coughed up blood, and-"  
"What?!"

"_Jesus, lady, let me explain what happened before you start yelling._"

"Did the doctors say what's wrong, Kyle?"  
"Yeah dad... I have lung cancer."  
"What?!"  
"That's not everything..."

Kyle looked at Kenny, who immediately knew what Kyle wanted to tell his parents. However, he disagreed with his decision.

"Kyle, maybe this isn't the right time for this..."  
"I might not have another chance, Kenny. If I'm going to die, I'd rather it be with my parents knowing who I am."  
"What are you both talking about?"  
"Mom, dad... I... I've been dating Kenny for about two weeks now. I was hoping I'd have more time to tell you more calmly, but... I guess I don't have that luxury now."

Kyle gently took Kenny's hand and held it as tightly as he could, making his boyfriend smile.

"We know."  
"...Seriously?" asked Kenny and Kyle in unison.  
"Yeah. We're your parents, Kyle. We know more about you than you do."

"_So modest._" Kyle thought sarcastically.

"But did you know I was dating Kenny?"  
"We knew you were dating **someone**. Kenny just seemed like the most likely candidate. There wasn't a single day that passed that you didn't mention him."  
"Is that true, Kyle?"  
"Now that I think about it... I guess it is."

"_If I had any doubts whether you really liked me or not, they're gone now._"

Upon seeing Kyle's parents, the doctor returned with a consent form to begin Kyle's treatment. He handed it to Kyle's father, who signed it without hesitation. Kyle's mother followed the same pattern, and the doctor left.

* * *

Later that night, Kyle's parents left Kyle alone with Kenny. A few minutes after they left, Kyle's tears that he had been holding back started flowing freely, much to Kenny's surprise.

"_I wonder why he only cries with me around..._"

"Why are you crying, Kyle?"  
"I... I don't want to be alone."  
"...I can stay."  
"I'm sorry..."  
"Kyle, it's no problem. I can stay. I **want** to stay."  
"Thank you, Ken."

* * *

Kenny sat next to Kyle bed, holding his hand for what seemed like forever, until Kyle finally fell asleep. The chemotherapy was doing its job, but its side effects were screwing up Kyle's ability to fall asleep. Kenny slowly released Kyle's hand, so as not to wake him, and left for the bathroom.

"_Finally. I've been holding it in for hours._"

* * *

Once Kenny returned, he found Kyle awake once again, much to his amazement.

"Kyle!"  
"Where were you? I was worried..."

"_I thought you'd left me._"

"I was just using the bathroom... How are you feeling?"  
"...Everything hurts, and I'm... I'm scared."  
"That's normal, Kyle."  
"Why aren't you worried?"  
"I-I am! I'm just... trying to keep it together... For you."  
"...Thanks, Ken."  
"You should get back to sleep. I'll be here if you need me."

"_Thank you._"

Kyle closed his eyes again and tried to clear his mind, so as to fall asleep more quickly.

* * *

Kenny stood by Kyle's bedside all through the night, constantly hearing his moans of pain. Kyle woke up several times during the night due to the pain. Every time he did, Kenny was there to calm him down by stroking Kyle's cheek and kissing him. After a while, Kyle was able to sleep until morning came.

"Hey, Ken."  
"Hey... How are you feeling now?"  
"Same... You should leave for school, Kenny. I don't want you to skip school because of me."  
"It can wait."  
"You should at least have some rest. You've been up all night."  
"I'm OK."  
"You don't have to act tough in front of me, Ken. I know you must be exhausted."  
"...If I don't act tough, you'll be even more worried than you are right now."  
"I don't want you to have to act anything in front of me. Just be yourself. It's why I like you."  
"...I can't, Kyle. I don't want you to worry."  
"I already am worried."

Kenny lost control of his emotions and started crying, much to Kyle's relief. He had been thinking that Kenny was OK with everything, in spite of the circumstances, which was making him doubt whether Kenny really cared about him or not. After a while, Kenny got a hold of himself again and wiped his tears.

"I-I'm sorry."  
"It's alright, Ken. I'm glad you did that."  
"I'm really sorry..."

A thought suddenly popped into Kenny's head. After a while of processing it, he became convinced that he finally had a way to save Kyle.

"Kyle, I just had an idea. I'm going to get help."  
"What do you mean?"

Kenny was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't even hear Kyle, and left in a hurry.

"Kenny! What do you mean?!"

"_What the fuck is going on in his head?_"

* * *

Kenny rushed to his house, took his dad's revolver and locked himself in his room.

"_Alright... This should work._"

He aimed the revolver at his temple and pulled the trigger. Kenny was instantly transported into heaven, where he was greeted by a very large man.

"Kenny, right?"  
"Yeah. How did you-"  
"You see this book? It has a list of everyone who has ever died or will die. It's not your time yet, so what are you doing here?"  
"I'm here because my boyfriend is dying. I need one of you guys to save him."  
"What's his name?"  
"Kyle Broflovski."  
"Kyle, Kyle, Kyle... Ah, here we go. Oh..."  
"What?"  
"There's nothing we can do. He's set to die in less than a year."  
"What do you mean there's nothing you can do? You guys can save him; I know you can!"  
"I'm sorry; it's fate. It can't be changed."  
"That's not fair! Kyle is a good guy who hasn't done anything to anyone! He doesn't deserve to die!"  
"Is this about him, or is it really about you?"  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
"If Kyle dies, he gets to go to heaven for eternity. Maybe you're just scared of being without him."  
"...So what if I am? That doesn't make me any less right about his 'fate'."  
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do."  
"I'm not leaving here until-"

Kenny's sentence was cut short by the large man sending him back to Earth. Kenny became enraged by the man's apparent indifference to Kyle's situation. After finding his dad's revolver a second time, Kenny tried the same strategy to resume his conversation with the unknown man, but he was simply reborn without ever reaching either heaven or hell.

"What the fuck is going on here?"


	3. The Deal

**ONE WEEK LATER**

Kenny tried several times a day to kill himself, without any success. He visited Kyle every day for a few hours, effectively dividing his time between school, Kyle, and his suicide attempts.  
Kenny pulled the trigger a third and fourth time, with the same result. He almost gave up, until an image of Kyle surged through his brain. After he reminded himself why he was doing it, he repeated the action several more times.

"I know you can hear me! I'm not gonna stop until I get some answers!"

Kenny aimed the revolver at his head and pulled the trigger yet again. As he did, he was teleported to a room he didn't recognize. He looked around and realized that he was no longer on Earth. The room had only white furniture and was completely painted in white. In the middle of the room stood a boy who seemed no older than he was, and somewhat taller. He was looking at a small silver pond in the center of the room. Large bubbles with images inside them appeared from the surface of the pond and rose to about eye height. Each bubble showed a different image, before dissipating into a cloud of mist.  
Kenny approached the tall boy slowly, for fear of what he might do, but his fears vanished once he realized who he was.

"Mike?!"  
"Shh... Come closer. Look at this one. It's my favorite." said Mike as he pointed at a bubble rising from the small silver pond.  
"What is?"  
"I call this one 'One Kiss'."  
"What is that?"  
"This is my viewing pond."  
"I meant the bubbles. What are they?"  
"They're my stories. I wrote them."  
"That one looks familiar... Hey, that's when I visited Kyle in the hospital the first time!"  
"That's yours. I call it 'Cancer'."  
"Y-You... What?"  
"You're a character in a story, Kenneth. Well, not originally, but... Well, you don't need to know about that."  
"...You're lying. How is that even possible?"  
"Every writer creates an entire universe populated by their characters."  
"Then how are we speaking right now?"  
"Long story."

"_It's not real. It can't be real._"

Kenny's heart began to pound in his chest as he realized that his entire life had been the result of one individual's imagination. Dark spots began to form in his vision, and he collapsed. Mike helped him onto one of the white couches surrounding the room, where Kenny passed out entirely.

* * *

As Mike tried to wake Kenny, Kyle lied on his bed, surrounded by his family, Stan and Butters. However, in spite of their presence, there was only one person Kyle really wanted to see. He opened his dry, cracked lips and whispered his name several times.

"W-Where's Kenny?"

The pain he felt was like nothing he had ever felt before, but reminding himself of Kenny made it somewhat better. However, realizing that Kenny was nowhere to be found only served to depress him further.

"Kenny! Where's Kenny?!"  
"We don't know, Kyle..."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the white room, Kenny woke up to find Mike staring at him.

"H-Have you been watching me sleep?"  
"You passed out. I was worried."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Sorry about that. I didn't expect you to react this way, but you asked for the truth. Now you have it."  
"...I only asked for the truth because you wanted me to ask for the truth."  
"I know. Kinda fascinating, isn't it? You lack free will. Or maybe not. Maybe I lack it too. Who knows? I try not to think about it."  
"Look, I think you know why I came here."  
"Yeah. Kyle is dying. You want me to save him."  
"**Can** you save him?"  
"Sorta... but I'm gonna need something from you in return."  
"Anything."  
"I'm gonna need your immortality."  
"What for?"  
"I can't save him directly, so I'm gonna transfer it to him, so that he can't die."  
"What about me? I die like every other day or so. What will happen then?"  
"That's tied to your immortality."  
"You mean..."  
"Yup. It'll be passed on to Kyle, along with your immortality. He'll live, but it won't be an easy life."  
"...I don't know, what if he... What if he can't handle it? What if he tries to kill himself over and over again, like I did at the beginning?"  
"I doubt that'll happen. He loves you. You'll be there to support him."  
"I... need some time to think about it."  
"Let me make it easier for you. I'm gonna send you back to your Earth, so you can talk to Kyle about it."  
"Thanks."

* * *

Mike waved his arm, and Kenny was instantly teleported back to Kyle's bedside. His parents and friends had left him alone, as he had finally fallen asleep, leaving Kenny on his own with Kyle.

"_Kyle... I don't know what to do. I need to talk to you._"

Kenny looked at the state his dying boyfriend was in and started crying. His hair was all but gone, and his skin was paler than Kenny's own. His lips were cracked, and it looked like he had chewed them until he started bleeding.  
Kenny waited in Kyle's room for him to wake up, but ended up falling asleep himself until the next day.

* * *

Kyle woke up moaning and writhing in pain, due to the chemotherapy. His mood improved, however, once he saw Kenny had returned.

"Kenny?"  
"Hey, Kyle."  
"Where were you?"  
"I told you, I went to get some help."  
"I have **cancer**, Ken. There's nothing you can do."  
"...What if there was? What if I could fix you?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I spoke with someone who said he could help."  
"Who? And how?"  
"...It's complicated."  
"Listen, Ken... I know this isn't easy to hear, but... I'm gonna die. That's that. I can't be saved."  
"You can't believe that. You've got to fight it!"  
"How, Ken? Seriously, how am I supposed to do that? My whole body hurts; even speaking makes me feel like my lungs are burning from the inside. I know I'm going to die. You know it too. Just... accept it."  
"Don't talk like that. I can fix you, if you'll let me."

Kyle's skepticism was palpable, but Kenny seemed so sure of himself that, deep down, he began to believe in him. Kyle sighed loudly and looked at Kenny for a long time before speaking his mind.

"...Fine. Do it. If you think it'll help, go do it."  
"There's a catch."  
"Of course."  
"If I do this, you..."  
"...What?"  
"You'll die. Then you'll be alive again. And then you'll die again, and so on."  
"...Are you high or something? How's that possible?"  
"It's a **very** long story, and you wouldn't believe me even if I told you... Look, just trust me, alright? Please?"  
"Sure, Ken. I trust you."

Kenny leaned in closer to Kyle and gave him a short kiss on the lips, then one on his forehead, before finally leaving. As he did, Kyle sighed wearily once again. Kenny's explanation of the consequences of saving him had erased the small part of him that was beginning to believe in the rest of his boyfriend's story. Now he thought Kenny had been doing drugs yet again, and completely dismissed his tale.

"_I know I'm supposed to trust him, but... When he says stuff like this, I just don't know what to do._"

* * *

Later that evening, Kenny was sitting at home, alone, trying to contact Mike.

"Mike! I'm ready to make a decision!"

However, there was no response. Kenny yelled for several more minutes, and finally gave up.

"_Something's not right..._"

Just as Kenny was about to try again, he was teleported back to the white room, where Mike awaited him.

"Sorry about that. I was checking on something... So, have you made a decision yet?"  
"Aren't you supposed to know that already?"  
"It's polite to ask anyway, is it not?"  
"Right... Well, I talked to Kyle, and he agreed to it, although I think he thought I was just kidding."  
"He probably does."  
"So, will you do it?"  
"Sure. Give me a sec."

Mike placed his hand on Kenny's forehead and closed his eyes. Kenny felt weak, so he dropped to his knees and almost lied down on the ground. He felt as if something was being pulled out of him and into Mike, then Mike disappeared, leaving Kenny exhausted.

* * *

Mike appeared in Kyle's room, where the latter was sleeping soundly. Mike shook him lightly, to wake him up, and Kyle jumped, surprised by his visitor.

"Mike? Where did you come from?"  
"Hey, Kyle... Wow, you really look like crap."  
"I have cancer. What's your excuse?"  
"I was born like this."

The boys smiled at each other and giggled before Kyle started coughing loudly, cutting both of them off. There was a heavy silence that permeated the room, completely enveloping both Kyle and Mike. After a short time of dwelling in the silence, Kyle resumed their conversation.

"So, what are you here for?"  
"Well, Kenny must've told you he found a way to save you."  
"Y-You're the one?"  
"Yup. I came here to save you."  
"Don't fuck with me."  
"I'm not, Kyle. I swear. I **am** going to save you. You just have to trust me."  
"And how are you going to do that, exactly?"  
"Trust me, you don't want to hear it. Let's just say Kenny loves you very much and leave it at that."  
"...I know he does."  
"So, are you ready?"  
"Sure. Hit me."  
"This is gonna hurt a lot, you know."  
"I'm used to it."  
"If you say so..."

Mike placed his hand on Kyle's forehead and began to transfer Kenny's immortality to him. At first, Kyle didn't feel anything, but it soon felt as if someone was drilling several holes in his skull and breaking his bones all at once. He screamed in pain; Mike, however, just kept going until he was done. Once he finished, he removed his hand from Kyle's forehead and sighed.

"It's done."  
"You weren't kidding about the pain... So how long until I'm cured?"  
"You'll have to die first, which shouldn't be long. Maybe a few months."  
"What then?"  
"You'll be reborn. But nobody will remember it, except you and Kenny."  
"Why Kenny?"  
"It's my gift to him."  
"Your gift is having him remember every time I die?"  
"He'll know why."  
"Thanks, I guess..."

* * *

Mike could tell that Kyle didn't believe a word he said, yet he decided to let the events that would unfold over the next few months to speak for themselves. He returned to Kenny, who had regained his strength and was ready to go back to Kyle's bedside, where he belonged.

"I'm ready to go back."  
"I can see that. How are you feeling?"  
"I feel great."  
"Good enough for me."

Mike raised his hand and sent Kenny back to Kyle, where he wanted to be more than anywhere else in the universe.

"Hey, Kyle. I'm back."  
"How do you guys keep popping up in my room?"  
"Magic."  
"Right... I saw Mike today, you know."  
"Yeah. He's the one I told you about."  
"Wanna explain it to me in depth?"  
"...Sure, Kyle. It all started..."

Kenny explained everything to Kyle: from the fact that they were just characters in a story to the fact that Mike had created them, and everything in between. When he finished, Kyle was staring at Kenny, wide-eyed and as skeptical as ever.

"Listen, Ken, that's a nice story, but-"  
"I know. You don't believe me. Look, if you're right, then we've got a few more months together. If I'm right, we'll have the rest of our lives. Can't you just believe for the sake of believing?"  
"No, Ken. I can't. It doesn't work that way."

"_But I do hope you're right._"

* * *

**SEVERAL MONTHS LATER**

Kyle's cancer only grew worse over the weeks. His tumor was suppressing his breathing, but Kenny's daily visits made him feel somewhat better. Sometimes Kenny slept over at the hospital at Kyle's bedside, not caring whether he would be late for school or if it made his parents worry about him needlessly. All he cared about was Kyle. Both boys began to doubt Kenny's deal with Mike, as there was no visible change in Kyle's condition. They both thought about testing it, but were too scared to try it. If they were wrong, Kyle would be dead. Permanently.

"_He's gonna die soon anyway... We might as well wait._" Kenny thought.

* * *

Later that night, as Kenny left Kyle to go home, the red-haired boy finally spoke about what had been on both of their minds for months.

"Ken... Wait... I can feel it. I'm gonna die now."

Kenny hurried back to Kyle's bedside and held his hand, to try to make him feel better.

"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah... I can feel myself getting weaker, and weaker..."

Kyle's voice was getting weaker with ever word, until, finally, he got quiet. The next sound heard by Kenny was the machine Kyle was attached to indicating that he had died. It permeated the room, seemingly getting louder with each passing moment. Kenny started crying as he held on to Kyle hand and then he was gone. Kyle disappeared completely, leaving only an empty bed and Kenny, who was drowning in tears.

"_It must've worked... It worked!_"

"It worked! Yes!"

* * *

Kenny rushed to Kyle's bedroom, where the latter was waiting for him, completely cured.

"Kenny! It worked!"

Kyle ran toward Kenny with his arms wide open, and the boys shared their first hug in months. Kenny looked lovingly into Kyle's dark green eyes and sealed the hug with a kiss. It was the first time they had kissed since Kyle got sick, and the difference was blindingly clear. Before, Kyle was barely able to lift his head, but now he smashed his lips against Kenny's with obvious desire. The boys slowly moved into Kyle's bed, where they lied down, never once breaking their long kiss, and hid under the sheets.  
Once they were done, Kenny once again stared into Kyle's eyes and finally said what he had been unable to say all his life, but what was now more clear to him than anything.

"I love you."


End file.
